
Class E 7^Co 



(Urk^*^ 



63d Congress j SENATE l^^^fl^^ 

2d Session i \ No. 577 



LETTER 

OF 

PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON 



TO 



HON. FRANK E. DOREMUS 

CHAIRMAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL 
CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE 



ASSIGNING CERTAIN REASONS FOR NOT PARTICIPATING 
IN THE rCLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1914 




PRESENTED BY MR. THOMPSON 
September 9 (legislative day, September 5), 1914.— Ordered to be printed 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OPnCE 

1914 






'p^ 



a OF D. 
SEP 17 1814 



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White House, Septemher 4, 1914. 
My Dear Me. Doremus: I have read j^our letter of September 1 
with a keen appreciation of its importance. It appeals to me as the 
leader of the party now in power with peculiar force and persuasive- 
ness. The close of a very extraordinary session of Cons^ress is at 
hand which has, I venture to say, been more fruitful in important 
legislation of permanent usefulness to the country than any session 
of Congress within the memory of the active public men of our gener- 
ation. " A great constructive program has been carried through for 
which the "country has long waited, and has been carried through 
with the approval and support of judicious men of all parties, and 
we have abundant reason to congratulate ourselves upon the record 
that has been made during the busy 17 months we have devoted to 
our great legislative task. 

APPEAL FULLY WARRANTED. 

Certainly in ordinary circumstances, if we were free to disengage 
ourselves for the purpose, we would be warranted in now directmg our 
energies to a great campaign in support of an appeal to the country 
to 2;ive us the encouragement of its indorsement at the autunm 
elections. 

We could go to the country with a very sincere appeal in which 
there need be no pretense or boast of any kind, but a plain statement 
of things actually accomplished which ought to be and I thmk 
would be entirely'convincing. It is a record which shows us at peace 
\vith all the world; the questions which plagued business with doubt 
and uncertainty and irresponsible criticism out of the way, thought- 
fully settled and disposed of; the apparent antagonism between gov- 
ernment and business cleared away and brought to an end with the 
plain reckoning accomphshed; the path for sure-footed adjustment 
clear ahead of us; prosperity certain to come by means which all can 
approve and applaud. 

OTHER GREAT PLANS AHEAD. 

Moreover, there is a program of another kind ahead of us to which 
it is inspiring to look forward-a program free from debate except 
as to the best means bv which to accomplish what all desire 

The great questions 'immediately ahead of us are the building up 
of our merchant marine with all that that meaiis m the develo])ment 
and diversification of our foreign commerce and the systematic con- 
servation and economic use of our national resources, subjects much 

3 



4 LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 

talked about but little acted upon. Here are other great pieces^of 
constructive legislation waiting to be done to which we could turn 
without any controversy except, as I have said, as to the best ways 
of doing them. 

I believe that ways can be found to do these things readily enough 
if the country will give us its generous support and trust us to do them ; 
and it would have been a genuine pleasure to me to ask to be given 
again colleagues such as I have had in the two Houses of Congress 
during the present memorable session. 

I trust that there will be many occasions upon which I may have 
the privilege of calling the attention of my fellow countrymen to the 
fine and imseliish service which has been rendered them by their 
present representatives, ready at all times to respond to any appeal 
which spoke convincingly of the public welfare. 

TIME TO ''stay on JOB." 

But in view of the uidooked-for international situation our duty has 
taken on an unexpected aspect. Every patriotic man ought now to 
"stay on his job" until the crisis is passed, and ought to stay where 
his job can best be done. We must do whatever is necessary and 
forego whatever is not necessary to keep us in close and active con- 
cert in order to relieve in every possible way the stress and strain put 
upon our people during the continuance of the present extraordinary 
conditions. 

My job, I now Icnow, can be done best only if I devote my whole 
thought and attention to it and think of nothing but the duties of the 
hour. I am not at liberty, and shall not be, so far as I can see, to 
turn away from these duties to undertake any kind of political 
canvass. 

HE MUST KEEP AT WORK. 

In the present emergency I ^m keenly av/are of the twofold respon- 
sibility I am called upon to discharge; the responsibility which 
devolves upon me as President of the United States and the respon- 
sibility under which I am laid as leader of a great political party. 

Of course, the whole country will expect of me and m}^ own con- 
science will exact of me that I think first of my duties as President, 
responsible for exercising so far as I have the ability, constant 
guidance in the affairs of the country, both domestic and foreign. 

MUCH DEPENDS ON PRESIDENT. 

The labors of Congress have a natural and customary limit; the 
work of the houses can be and will be finished; Congress can adjourn. 
But the President can not, especially in times hke these, turn away 
from his official work even for a little while. Too much depends upon 
iiis keeping all the threads of what is occurring in his hands. 

I have therefore reached the conclusion that I can not in any 
ordinary sense take an active part m the approaching campaign; 
that I must remain here to attend to the serious work sure to fill the 
months immediately before us — months that will carry with them 
obligations, no doubt, of the most tremendous sort. I know that 



LETTER PEOM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 5 

you will feel similarly about your own obligations, will feel that they 
must remain to do their work of necessary and pressing service, and 
bring it to a successful conclusion. 

SHALL LET PUBLIC KNOW. 

I shall, no doubt, take occasion, as opportunity offers, to state, and 
perhaps restate, to the country in the clearest and most convincing 
terms I can command the things which the Democratic Party has 
attempted to do in the settlement of great questions which have for 
many a long year pressed for solution, and I earnestly hope they wiU 
generously open their minds to what I may have to say, but I shall 
not allow my eagerness to win their approval or my earnest desire 
to be granted by their suffrages the support of another Congress to 
interfere with the daily performance of my official duties or distract 
my mind from them. 

The record men make speaks for itself. The country can not be 
deceived concerning it, and will assess it justly. What it chiefly ex- 
pects and demands, and what it will certainly be most surely won by, 
IS the performance of duty without fear or favor and without regard 
to personal consequences. 

COUNTRY GREATER THAN PARTIES. 

And certainly this is a time when America expects every man to do 
his duty without thought of profit or advantage to himself. America 
is greater than any party. America can not properly be served by any 
man who for a moment measures his interest against her advantage. 
The time has come for great things. These are days big with destiny 
for the United States, as for other nations of the world. A httle 
wisdom, a little courage, a little self-forgetful devotion may under 
God turn that destiny this way or that. Great hearts, great natures, 
will respond. Even little men will rejoice to be stimulated and 
guided and set an heroic example. Parties wiU fare well enough 
without nursing if the men who make them up and the men who lead 
them forget themselves to serve a cause and set a great people for- 
ward on the path of liberty and peace. 
Cordially and sincerely, yours. 

WooDRow Wilson. 

Hon. Frank E. Doremus, 

Chairman Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. 

Washington, D. C. 

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